Wednesday, September 28, 2016

My first iced coffee date was a big hit with you guys, so I thought it might be fun to include it as a regular feature on CNC. I really love hearing from you guys and hope you’ll chime in again this week! 🙂

So, I was in Chicago earlier this week for an event with Star Market to learn more about their organic line, O Organics. It was a great event (recap coming soon), and I’m so happy that I had the opportunity to work with the brand again. (You guys might remember the trip where I met Tiffani Thiessan, the brand’s spokesperson for their Signature line. So cool.) Anyway, I arrived in Chicago with a few hours to spare before the event kicked off, so I took advantage of the beautiful weather and ran along the lakefront.

If we were drinking (iced) coffee together this morning, I would tell you that it was awesome. Like, truly awesome. Like, I haven’t been that happy on a run in awhile. The scenery was, of course, incredible, but I felt really good. Light on my feet. No heavy legs. Didn’t feel like dying. #runhappy for sure.

But what made my run so enjoyable (I think) was the music. I found a new Pandora station: Country Fitness Radio, and I really like it. And I’m actually kind of embarrassed admitting it. I’m SO not a country person. So, so, so not. (Or so I thought?) But, recently (like this summer), I started to kind of like country music. Not the sappy, depressing stuff, but the “I want to party and have fun” kind. It reminds me of summer and good times, good friends, and the whole bit. I guess I just have a lot of positive associations with “pop country” music, so it pumps me up and makes me happy when I’m running. (P.S. I haven’t even told Mal about my new love for country music because I’m still kind of embarrassed about it! Ha!)

Moving on…

Ok, this is more for the locals/anyone who flies out of Logan, but if you fly United, there’s an incredible cafe/food station called the Berkshire Farms Marketat the very end of the terminal. It had SO MANY delicious and healthy options, I just had to tell you guys about it. I ended up getting a Kale and Sweet Potato Salad with quinoa and then buying some grilled chicken breast for some added protein (loved having this optoin). It was epic and probably the best meal I’ve ever had from an airport!

I enjoyed one of these Super Gooey Peanut Butter Chocolate Drops at the O Organics event and, to my surprise, they were gluten-free and made with chickpeas! They were so yum, and I totally couldn’t taste the chickpeas!

Some “rumors” I heard while in Chicago (please confirm or deny, if possible):

Any size pumpkin at Trader Joe’s costs $4.99. I’m all over this if it’s true! We need pumpkins!

Swedish Fish Oreos are a thing? What? WHAT. I heard mixed reviews about them, but, really, the people at Nabisco have lost their minds. I don’t understand that flavor combo. Are they any good??

TSA Pre-Check only costs $85 and is valid for 5 years? Again, what? And WHY haven’t I done this?!

I’m in the home stretch of my first pregnancy and I thought it would be fun to give you a little insight into what I’ve been eating! If you’ve been following me on social media (Instagram: thefoodbabe & foodbabemama), you know … Continued

Fall is in the air! And what better way to celebrate than with a slice of healthy and delicious Apple-Cinnamon-Walnut Skillet Cake?

Start by choosing your favorite variety of in-season fresh apples. I’m partial to “sweet-with-a-hint-of-tang” Honeycrisp apples, but it’s always fun to see what new varieties are popping up in grocery stores, farmers markets and CSA boxes this time of year.

In addition to naturally sweet apples, other nourishing ingredients in this Apple-Cinnamon-Walnut Skillet Cake include Omega-3-rich walnuts, along with a duo of fiber-rich flours: whole-grain buckwheat and brown rice. Cinnamon takes the flavor up a notch, and with no eggs or dairy, this cake is perfect for anyone following a vegan diet.

Even better? It’s totally acceptable to pair a slice of this Apple-Cinnamon-Walnut Skillet Cake with some protein-rich Greek yogurt and happily declare “Breakfast is served!”

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet with oil, and set aside.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and stir with a fork or whisk until well combined. Add maple syrup, oil, vanilla and water or “milk” to dry ingredients, and stir well with a fork to combine.

Grate apples with a box grater or a food processor with a grater attachment blade, and chop walnuts. Add apples and walnuts to batter, and stir to combine.

Spoon batter into skillet, and spread evenly. Bake in oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before slicing into 8 wedges for serving.

EA Stewart, MBA, RD is a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in wellness and GI nutrition. In addition, EA is the creator of The Spicy RD, which features delicious gluten-free recipes made from healthy, seasonal ingredients.

If you haven’t heard already, Stitch Fix now offers styling services for guys!! Obviously, my husband was pumped to learn this fun fact be he actually has a sense of style! Ha! But, really, Stitch Fix is for those of us who have zero sense of fashion as well as those who love it!

Stitch Fix Men just launched earlier this month, so, to celebrate, they contacted me to see if the special guy in my life would want to test it out. Mal loves fashion and actually pays attention to it (I mean, he looks at the J.Crew catalogs that come to our house instead of just throwing them out), so I knew he’d be alllllll about Stitch Fix Men. Stitch Fix also offered to waive Mal’s styling fee, so he really had nothing to lose. Plus, Mal is already a fan of these box-type clothing subscriptions because he likes owning the newest, most in-style pieces, so he was totally game!

Like Stitch Fix’s women’s clothing, all fixes are tailored to your guy’s budget and style. Stitch Fix Men offers the exact same personal styling service that we Stich Fix fans already know and love. Now, our boyfriends, husbands, brothers, fathers, coworkers, and more can enjoy everything we adore about Stitch Fix—tailored to his taste, needs, and lifestyle.

Stitch Fix Men stocks a range of established and emerging brands, such as Ben Sherman, Marine Layer, AG Jeans, Original Penguin, and Woolrich. (A Henley from Grayers in Mal’s first fix immediately caught his attention!) They also debut exclusive brands, developed in-house, based on male clients’ feedback.

Ok, are ready to see what was inside Mal’s first Stitch Fix Men fix? Oh, I bet you are! Top left to right (a la flat lay, of course):

Grayers Byron Double Cloth Henley

Hawker Rye Essential Wash Long Sleeve Shirt

Flag & Anthem Randolph Single Striped Tee

7 Diamonds Journey Straight Fit Chino

Mavi Jake Slim Leg Jean

Mal was really excited about his first fix because, at first look, he loved everything– the quality, brands, colors—his stylist nailed his sense of style.

The Grayers Byron Double Cloth Henley? It was a keeper for sure. (Mal actually smiled when he took it out of the box.) He loves a good Henley shirt and this one was top quality, soft, cozy, and perfect for his wardrobe. It was exactly his style. Keeper.

Mal also liked the Flag & Anthem Randolph Single Striped Tee, which he said wasn’t something he’d normally pick out for himself, but he liked how it looked once he had it on. He liked that it was a little different from what he normally buys, so it was another keeper. Two for two!

Mal initially liked the Mavi Jake Slim Leg Jean, but he’s kind of particular about jeans. He prefers a more structured jean and these ones were a bit more relaxed once he put them on, so he ended up passing on them.

^^Green smoothie blend! I’ve been making them with banana, milk, oats, Vega Coconut Almond, peanut butter, and lots of spinach.

I’ve been having lots of luck with Mazen’s eating. I think the increase in effort is paying off. I made chicken noodle soup and he ate a deconstructed version. He still needs a lot of nudging to try something, but I am very pleased with the amount of foods he has tasted lately. (Celery!) He ate the bread first (duh), then one noodle, then one bite of chicken, and then we had to talk about the veggies which eventually all got eaten. Just.Keep.Trying. I am fairly confident in a year he will be a pretty good eater. (Knock on wood!)

The little rascal!

Another night we had Cook Smarts baked ziti with broccoli. This meal was actually a huge success after an initial protest. [My broccoli has some blue cheese dressing on top!]

For lunch the next day I had leftover ziti with a kale and feta salad.

This dinner was enjoyed during Karen’s visit. We made steak and baked potatoes with salad on the side.

And finally, Sarah, Gaby, and I did a joint dinner with all the kids. We pretended they were in a restaurant and waited on them. It was cute!

The moms had Ina Garten’s Curried Chicken Salad that I made and brought over. I cooked the chicken in the Smart Bowl set and it worked really well! I sliced it into pieces first and then microwaved in the bowls for about 3 minutes (in two batches). It wasn’t dry at all!

Served over greens with a zucchini bread “donut” Sarah made on the side : )